(Circa 1785) Bar Cent PCGS MS62 BN. This lustrous, undated, colonial, Uncirculated Bar copper of circa 1785 Bar Cent has a predominantly even, light tan color on the obverse and a similar reverse with shades of blue and grey within the bars. The letters of the monogram are well centered, which is often not the case for this coin. Except for the left leg of the A which is slightly weak as it passes over the S, the letters of the monogram are well formed as are the bars of the reverse.  Dentils are present, but they are incomplete, which is typical for Bar Cents. There is no wear on the coin, as expected for a Mint State piece. The surfaces of this Bar Cent are original and clean. The second bar (from the bottom) has a tiny spine protruding from near its left end. This spine is found on all genuine examples as is a partial die crack between the sixth and seventh bars. The blank is narrow, thin, and underweight for the normal Birmingham standard of 60 to the pound. It also lacks edge lettering that was common on later Birmingham coppers. The vertical striations on both sides are marks on the holder not the coin. 

The obverse of the Bar Cent has large USA monogram of interlocking letters. The U passes under the S and the A passes over it. The reverse has thirteen separate horizontal bars, one for each of the original colonies. The bars are supposed to unite into a single country symbolized by the interlocking letters of the obverse. 

The origin of the Bar Cent is unknown, but it has always been a popular colonial piece. The prototype for the obverse design was probably a Continental uniform button. The bars on the reverse may have been taken from The Great Seal of the United States; however, on it there are seven raised bars to alternate red and white stripes to get to thirteen. Some researchers believe that the coin was designed by George Wyon, III and possibly made at the Birmingham, England mint. The Birmingham Mint is famous for the Nova Constellatio Coppers.

A note appeared in the New Jersey Gazette of November 12, 1785, which enables us to tentatively date the Bar Cent. It described circulating coppers that recently arrived from Birmingham as follows: A new and curious kind of coppers have lately made their appearance in New York. The novelty and bright gloss of which keeps them in circulation. These coppers are in fact similar to Continental buttons without eyes If Congress does not take the establishment of a Mint into consideration and carry it into effect it is probable that the next coin which may come into circulation, as we have a variety of them, will be the soldiers old pewter buttons, for they are nearly as variable as the coppers above described and hardly so plenty.

There are many forgeries of the Bar Cent. The spur from the second bar and the central die crack must be present to authenticate the piece. In 1862, John Adams Bolen of Springfield, Massachusetts made copies of the Bar Cent. His copies lacked the two die markers. Also on his monogram, the S passes on top of the left leg of the A. Bolen regretted making the copies. He said, I have been informed that they have been worn or rubbed and made to look old, then sold as genuine. I spent a great deal of time on them; on one I worked from a genuine coin, on the others from very fine electrotypes.

They are all quite scarce now. They were not a financial success to me.'' Bolen sold his dies to William Elliot Woodward of Roxbury, Massachusetts who sold them to one of the Lovetts of New York. In addition to copper, impressions were made in silver, nickel, brass, and tin. Other cruder forgeries are known in which the letters are not interlocked. (All USRCI coins are certified and authenticated by one of the major grading firms.)

Privately made tokens circulated throughout the Revolutionary period and afterward. Most of these were of fine quality and were made in England. They frequently had advertising on them and were called store cards. Bar Cents were made in Birmingham and came to the United States in the mid 1780s. Circulating coinage was in short supply so the new coppers were accepted in commerce despite being underweight. Some researchers believe that Thomas Wyon struck the Bar Coppers. It may have been Wyons intention to have them circulate since the design was clearly familiar to and accepted by Americans.

While the mintage of the Bar Cent is unknown, they are rare in Mint State. In its population report, PCGS has 5 in MS62 condition with 8 better. At NGC there is only 1 in MS62 with 1 better.